Volunteers find peace, purpose in helping others

LORAIN COUNTY -- Joe Geletka said that when he was laid off from his job in December 2008, he went into a depression and remained in a funk for quite some time.

Geletka, 63, of Elyria, said if it wasn't for volunteering, he would still be in that dark place.

Geletka started to volunteer for Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio and has been volunteering in Lorain County. In order to maintain his sanity, it was "one of those things to keep your mind and body occupied."

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After being laid off as a supervisor, Geletka became interested in Second Harvest.

"I went out there and talked to them about volunteering and they assigned me a time," Geletka said. "I'm involved in my own pantry, I go to farmers markets and I am helping conduct the 2014 hunger study."

Geletka can be found volunteering on Tuesdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

However, Geletka said volunteering didn't just help combat his depression, but it also has changed his life.

"It just gives you a whole new attitude," Geletka said. "It gave me something to think about other than myself; it gave me something to do that affected people in a positive way."

A lot of clients who come to the pantries and food kitchens are either unemployed or underemployed, he said.

"It's not like these people are coming because they aren't trying to work," Geletka said. "Some of them are working full-time jobs and are trying to make ends meet.

There are about nine volunteers on his shift, but he said they are always looking for anyone to help.

"It's a severe situation for those people trying to make ends meet, trying in the winter to pay their heating bill and as well as trying to put food on the table," he said.

Mike Brewer, 64, of South Amherst, said that he and Geletka work closely together because they started about the same time. He said that he started to volunteer

because for his whole life, he was blessed and decided it was time to give back.

When working, Brewer said he had to become a person he didn't want to be.

"When I left work and retired, I left that person behind," Brewer said.

"We're feeding children, old people, retirees," he said. "The people that we see are quite grateful and it's reassuring to myself to be able to do something like that."

Kris Greene, volunteer coordinator at Avon-Avon Lake Community Resource Services, said volunteers contribute a lot to their nonprofit organization.

"On a regular basis, we have about 15 regular weekly volunteers," Greene said. "Each one is dedicated to helping meet the needs of Avon and Avon Lake residents. I, myself, was a volunteer here before I started working for CRS and it definitely made me feel good knowing that I was helping others out."

Greene said volunteers at CRS pick up different tasks at the nonprofit such as packing groceries, stocking the pantry, running the front desk and participating in special events.

"When I first started volunteering, I was looking for a way to make an impact on others," Dennen said. "My time with CRS has really shown me the types of people and specific needs of my community. There's really no downside to volunteering."

CRS has been providing basic needs assistance to residents of Avon and Avon Lake since 1988.

The nonprofit works to supply struggling residents with food and financial assistance with utility, medical and auto repair costs.

CRS also offers programming to help community members get back on their feet and work towards self-sufficiency.

Greene encourages all who are interested in volunteering at CRS to call 440-933-5639 or email Kgreene@aalcrs.org.